April 24, 2012

DeSales' Ball excited to get started with Buckeyes

DeSales senior running back Warren Ball knows the situation that he's about to enter.

On April 20, he got a small dose of his future on the Ohio State football team when he made five catches for 46 yards and was the Offensive MVP for the South team in the Ohio North-South All-Star game in Ohio Stadium.

Ball, who is In the midst of his final track season with the Stallions, knows he'll be in for quite a battle over the coming months once he gets enrolled and begins working out full-time with the Buckeyes.

Although Daniel "Boom" Herron is gone after rushing for 672 yards in just eight games last season, Carlos Hyde will be a junior and Jordan Hall will be a senior next season. They rushed for 566 and 408 yards, respectively last fall.

Combine that with the fact that redshirt sophomore Rod Smith rushed for 116 yards last fall and Canton GlenOak's Bri'onte Dunn is another member of the 2012 recruiting class but already has enrolled, and it's probably going to feel a little crowded to Ball once he gets in the fold.

"With school, it's tough to enroll early," Ball said. "When I get there, I plan to get to work right away and get right to it. I definitely will have to be patient because we definitely have some backs.

"But I feel great. I feel like I could play another game right now."

On the positive side for Ball is that new coach Urban Meyer hasn't been afraid to play freshmen in the past. Players such as Maurkice Pouncey and Joe Haden have been among those who saw significant action in their first year under Meyer.

So far, the only 2013 running back who has verbally committed to Ohio State is Ezekiel Elliott from St. Louis. Like Ball, Elliott is considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.